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Unique to Ayurveda, the age old herbal science is the idea of agni. Most just put, agni is digestive fire: the power to change what is not you – i.e. food, drinks, sights, sounds, feelings, in sequence – into what is you (your body, emotions, and intelligence). It is agni that has the power to digest food well, making all nutrients available to the tissues. It is agni that powers the mind to be intelligently disciplined to achieve inner beauty. It is agni that also cleans toxins and excess wastes from the system, keeping the digestive tract clean and the outer body fresh and glowing So, of course, strong, healthy, balanced agni is essential to keep the body and mind balanced and beautiful.
More typically than not, problems come to the outside for us psychologically and physically when agni is low or too high. Agni that is too low will be the cause of meager digestion of what we take in. When agni is too high, however, it will literally burn foods up before they can be assimilated.
Sighs of low agni are:
GAS DIFFICULTY WAKING
BURPING SCANTY OR NO PERSPIRATION
SLOW DIGESTION CONSTIPATION
TIRED MIND DULL COMPLEXION
Signs of high agni are:
STRONG BELCHING EXCESSIVE TALKING
HEAVY PERSPIRATION BURNING SENSATIONS IN
RASHES DIGESTIVE TRACT
DIARRHEA IRRITABILITY AND ANGER
Guidelines for Balancing Agni……
To improve Agni:
- Eat smaller meals.
- Sip lime or lemon water.
- Sip warm ginger tea (Recipe : take a pinch of dry ginger and simmer in 1 cup of water until a quarter of the water is boiled away or steep a few slices of fresh ginger in hot water. Drink a little before and a little after your meal). A small amount of ginger tea sweetened with maple syrup before a meal is chiefly good for Pitta types.
- Take a pinch of trikatu before meals (made of equal amounts of ginger, black pepper and cayenne, a pinch of which is sprinkled onto a quarter teaspoon of honey). This is especially good for Kapha types.
- Vata types can take a pinch of fresh ginger root that has been chopped finely and mixed with a little salt before a meal.
- Chewing is very important. Chew your food until it is at least liquidy before you swallow.
- Sip warm water with your meals.
- A little umeboshi plum or small amount of melted ghee on grains can help Vata types.
- Gentian bitters and fresh cilantro or parsley with a little black pepper can help agni for Pitta types.
- Light diet and pungent spices can help improve the agni is Kapha types.
- Agni can also be improved by fasting and herbal medications. These procedures should be done with the guidance of an Ayurvedic health care practitioner.
- If there is a lot of toxic build-up in the body and digestion is very weak, hydrochloric acid tablets and/or digestive enzymes may be used for a little period of time until there is a general development in health. Once again, take such advice only from a holistically minded physician or dietician.
- Some naturally occurring digestive enzymes can be made obtainable by swallowing more saliva before you eat. This is chiefly helpful in the digestion of carbohydrates. To bring more saliva to the mouth, run the tongue between the teeth and lips in a clockwise, then anti clockwise way while keeping the mouth closed.
- Digestion is best when the right nostril is open and clear. To help open the nostril if its blocked or crowded, press the fist of the left hand up into the right arm pit, resting the right arm over the fist. At the same time, press the left nostril closed with your right middle finger. Hold this place for a few minutes until you feel the right nostril begin to clear. This is not unavoidably specifically to add to agni, but is an outstanding technique to aid digestion. Do this before eating ,
- Mudra (Hand Gesture) for Improving Agni: Sit cross – legged or on a chair with your back straight. Rest your hands, palms upwards on your knees. Join the middle finger and thumbs of each hand. Rest this way a few minutes before meals, breathing calmly and giving thanks for the food you are about to eat.
To reduce Agni:
- Follow Pitta diet
- Find constructive ways to free anger, aggravation, and outrage
- Drink a tea of equal amounts of cumin, coriander, fennel seed
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